Locomotive headlight



June 7 1927.

c. AALBORG LOCOMOTIVE HEADLIGHT Original .Filecl. Oct, 27. 1923 INVENTORChris f/afl Aolbo/y WIT m NESSES:

ATT'oRNEY Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,631,112 PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG, .OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING GOMAPNY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

LOCOMOTIVE HEADLIGHT.

Application filed October 27, 1923, Serial No. 671,232. Renewed April27, 1927.

' or corrode. It is therefore necessary,in devices of this character, toprovide a moisture I and dust proof closure for the reflector case. Oneobject of my invention is, therefore,to effectively seal the reflectorcase against dust and moisture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a structure in which thesealing members shall be self-adjusting and shall effectively maintainthe seal.

Another object of my invention is to provide a structure which shall bereadily accessible for adjustment and removal of the lamp.

Hitherto, devices of this character have been provided with means forexcluding dust and moisture which consisted of overlapping flanges. Theobvious disadvantage of this structure has been that the joint was notperfectly tight, and did not prevent deterioration of the lightingproperties. Such devices have been provided with a door and a lock and awasher between the door and the case, but these had but one point ofadjustment. While such a structure provided an adequate closure whennew, the wear resulting from the motion of the parts over each othercaused the closure to leak on one side. This could only be remedied byreplacing the old washer with a new one. In

other words, there was only a manual means of adjustment. 7

My invention is directed to a structure employing resilient washers anda self adjusting closure which prevents leakage of dust and moisture toboth the lens and the door joints.

Specifically, the adjusting means is a flange on the door, a resilientsealing gasket between the door and case and a floating hinge. By reasonof this arrangement, I

effect a tight closure which is constantly maintained as such even afterthe parts have been sub ected towear.

Throughout the dra'wmg, constltutlng a "part hereof, and in which likereference characters designate like parts,

Figure l is a side elevational view, partially in cross-section, of anassembled reflector case and door; a

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view showing the hinge brackets;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevational view showing the position of thehinge bolts when the door is open b Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view ofthe hinge 0 t; Fig. 5 is a view showing means for locking the door, and

Fig. 6 isan elevational view thereof.

The headlight consists of a hinged case 1 and the door 2. The door 2 isprovided with a lens 3, and is held closed by means of winged nuts 4 andswivel bolts 5. In the door 2 is a channel 6 containing a resilientpacking which bears on the outside surface of the lens. The lens is heldin place against the packing by means of a clamping ring 7. Nearer theperiphery of the door there is another channel 8 containing a resilientpacking. The channel 8 opens toward the reflector case and is arrangedto receive a flange 9 on the reflector case 1. The door swings onfloating hinges which are slidably mounted on brackets or projections 10on the reflector case. Each of the floating hinges consists of aneye-bolt 11 provided with a stop member or shoulder 12 which rests onthe bracket 10 when the door is open, and is moved away from the bracketwhen the door is closed. On the opposite side of the bracket, the hingebolt has mounted upon it a helical spring 13 which is maintained incompression between the bracket 10 and the lock nuts 14.

In opening the door, from the position shown in Fig. 4, the hinge boltsare first drawn toward the seats of the brackets 10 by springs 13. Thismovement isstopped by the engagement of the stops 12 on the hinge boltswith the brackets. From this point, the door is opened in the usual way.In closing, the edge of the door nearest the hinge bolts first comes incontact with the rim of the reflector case, and the flange on relationto the case. Upon complete closure, the door acts as a lever and drawsthe hinge bolt through the bracket and the spring is further compressed.i

It will be noted that I have provided a structure With a small number ofparts which are easily accessible. The door is held in the desiredrelation to the case, and produces a tight closure by means of theresilient Washers. A floating spring structure also provides anarrangement by which a tight closure is maintained atall times, evenafter the parts have been subjected to considerable Wear.

Although I have described a specific em bodiment of my invention, I donot limit my invention thereto since various modifications thereof Willsuggest themselves to those skilled in the art Without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, the scope of Which is set forth in theannexed claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a reflector case,

an apertured light-transmitting door and a. lock for fastening said doorto said case, of

a hinge on said door, said hinge comprising retaining members rigidlyattached to said door and perforated brackets rigidly. attached to. saidcase eye-bolts slidably' mounted in said brackets, springs mounted onsaid eyebolts tending to hold said door and case together, means forconfining said springs against said brackets and means in said eyecase,resilient means in said channel and a. hinge exterior to said door toeffect a dust' and moisture proof closure of said'dooi, said hingecomprising a perforated bracket r gidl mounted on said door, an eye-bolt.slidab y mounted on said case and hingedly mounted on said bracket,stop means in said eye-bolt to limit the movement thereof, a springmounted on said bolt to maintain the bolt in tension and means forlocking said door in closed relation to said case.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name thisQOth day ofOctober, 1923'. v

CHRISTIAN AALBORG.1

